Retaining clips and, more specifically, claw clips for holding or retaining strands of hair during hair care or hair styling are widely used and have been around for many years.
One such example of a retaining clip is shown in United States Patent application No. 2004/0065341. This application discloses a jaw hair clip for firmly holding hair. The jaw hair clip includes a first jaw portion pivotally attached to a second jaw portion via a hinge. The first and second jaw portions are biased together by a spring disposed on the hinge. Rubber or soft plastic beading is formed on at least one of the first or second jaw portions to soften the pressure applied to the hair, while minimizing slippage.
Another example of a retaining clip is shown in United States Patent application No. 2004/0149306. This application discloses a hair holding device with an elastic closure operation. The hair holding device includes first and second body members pivotally connected via a hinge. Each of the body members includes a hair gripping portion for engaging strands of hair. The first and second body members are biased together with a spring disposed at the hinge. The first and second body member include at least one elastomeric member for biasing the first and second body members together once the hair holding device is in a closed position.
These and similar retaining clips, however, lack durability due to the biasing spring located at the hinge portion of the respective retaining clips, and sometimes lack the desired hair gripping capability provided by the spring.